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Oklahoma voters choose party nominees Tuesday

Only one statewide race, the Republican contest for state insurance commissioner, is on Tuesday's ballot. Turnout is expected to be helped by some hotly contested legislative and local races, especially the Republican 5th Congressional District race between Kevin Calvey and James Lankford.

Republicans go to the polls today to select their nominee for state insurance commissioner and to decide which two candidates will advance in congressional races in central and eastern Oklahoma.

Joe Miner, Oklahoma City, in the voting booth reading the ballot for a city proposition during early absentee voting in the runoff election at the Oklahoma County Election Board in Oklahoma City Monday, August 23, 2010. Photo by Paul B. Southerland, The Oklahoman

Democrats will select their nominees in five of the eight legislative races in today's runoff elections. The winners in two races, including the House District 100 race in northwest Oklahoma City, will advance to the House of Representatives because no independent or candidate from the other party had filed.

Several county races and local issues are also being voted on today.

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Oklahoma requires a nominee to get a majority of the vote in primary elections, even when more than two candidates are seeking the same post. The candidates on today's ballots failed to get a majority of the votes cast July 27.

A low turnout is expected today. The Republican insurance commissioner race is the only statewide contest on the ballot. Turnout for runoff elections usually ranges from low to very low.

5th District race

The turnout could be helped by the battle taking place for the GOP nomination for the 5th Congressional District post.

Kevin Calvey and James Lankford, separated by less than 2 percent of the votes cast in last month's primary election, fueled attention in the race by making last-minute barbs at each other last week.

Lankford, of Edmond, received 33.6 percent of the votes cast in last month's race, while Calvey, of Oklahoma City, got 32.5 percent in a seven-candidate battle. The 5th Congressional District comprises most of Oklahoma County and all of Pottawatomie and Seminole counties. The winner will face Democrat Billy Coyle and two independents, Dave White and Clark Duffe, in the Nov. 2 general election.

Republicans in eastern Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District will choose between Charles Thompson, of Hulbert, who received 34 percent of the votes last month, and Daniel Edmonds, who got 28 percent. The winner will face U.S. Rep. Dan Boren, D-Muskogee, in November.

Republican contenders for insurance commissioner are John Crawford, a former insurance commissioner from Oklahoma City who won 42 percent of the vote in last month's primary, and John Doak, of Tulsa, who received 39 percent. The winner will face Insurance Commissioner Kim Holland, a Democrat, in November.

In the House District 100 Republican runoff, Elise Hall, who received 47 percent of the vote last month, is opposed by David Looby, who got 34 percent. The victor will win the seat; no Democrat or independent filed for it. The post is now held by Mike Thompson, a Republican, who didn't seek re-election. All are from Oklahoma City.